NEWS
MAKERS
WOODHOUR JOINS TECHNIKU BOARD
Roger Woodhour has become the newest board member of Techniku, Broomfield,
CO.
With more than 35 years of marketing and sales experience in the
home furnishings industry, including eight years as president and
CEO of RollEase, Inc., Woodhour brings a significant understanding
of the marketplace and distribution channels to the board.
In his global leadership role with Techniku, Woodhour will be responsible
for providing insight and direction to the senior management team
on all matters related to product strategy, organization and business
development. His strong marketing, sales and international relations
background will complement the other board members from the American
and European financial communities.
Jeff Clem, Techniku general manager, stated, “With a focus
on providing a solid strategic direction to support the growth of
Techniku, Roger’s involvement with the board of directors
brings immediate benefits to our international product development
and sales strategies.”
Techniku designs and manufactures automation and control solutions
for interior window coverings.
NIEN MADE APPOINTS NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM
MEMBERS
Nien Made, Cerritos, CA, announces the addition of Nils Larsson,
John Rowlands and Jeff Mitchell to its National Accounts Division.
Nien Made has determined that its continued growth be founded not
only on its manufacturing and operations management capabilities,
but also by growing its talents in developing innovative products,
assembling the right product mixes and marketing all tailored toward
success in each of its customers.
Larsson joins Nien Made as the Director of National Accounts and
will be based in Cerritos. He will be responsible for the overall
management and strategic direction of all national accounts except
Home Depot. He brings to this position a wealth of industry experience,
having previously served as hard window merchandise manager for
Smith + Noble, décor merchandise manager at Home Depot Expo
and sourcing manager for IKEA.
Rowlands comes to Nien Made with 25 years of industry knowledge.
His previous experiences include vice president of marketing for
Prestige, director of marketing at Turnils, sales development manager
for Hunter Douglas and sales manager at Del Mar. He will be responsible
for the management of the Home Depot account and the Atlanta, GA,
sales office as the Director for the Home Depot account.
Mitchell has been appointed Sales Manager for the Home Depot account
and is based in Atlanta. He brings 15 years of industry experience
to the company and will be responsible for the overall sales strategy
and its implementation for this account. Mitchell’s previous
positions include director of sales at Techniku and national account
manager for Levolor-Kirsch.
HUNTER DOUGLAS PROMOTES THREE IN FORMING
NEW DIVISION
Hunter Douglas, Upper Saddle River, NJ, has announced the formation
of the Hunter Douglas Horizontal Blinds Division. Bob Kopf, formerly
head of the Hunter Douglas Window Covering Division and Hunter Douglas
Wood Products will serve as president of this new division in addition
to his role as president of the Custom Shutter Division and president
of the Independent Fabricator Group. This new division will promote
both the Window Coverings and Wood Blind divisions.
Kevin Armstrong has been named vice president and general manager
of the Horizontal Blinds Division. He has more than 20 years of
experience in the window treatments industry. He joined the company
in 2000 as director of sales and marketing for wood products. He
was promoted to vice president/business unit manager for wood blinds
in 2001. Armstrong will manage the new Horizontal Blinds Division
as well as maintain his current management of the Wood Blinds Business
Unit from its present location in Gilbert, AZ.
Debbie Zorbas has been promoted to Business Unit Manager of the
Metal/Alternative Wood Products Business Unit. Previously she was
the director of marketing for the Window Coverings Division. Zorbas
joined Hunter Douglas in 2004. She previously has worked in marketing
at Reckitt Benckiser, Parsippany, NJ.
LAVERY NAMED MANAGER OF COMFORTEX
SHUTTER INSTALLATION, TRAINING, SUPPORT
Comfortex Corp. Maplewood, NY, has announced that Jim Lavery has
assumed the newly created position of Shutter Installation, Training
and Support Manager for the northern and eastern region.
Lavery brings a background in all aspects of the shutter business:
manufacturing, fabrication and installation. Most recently he was
employed at Timberlane Woodcrafters, Inc. where he managed the interior
shutter division. He also was the product manager for the shutter
division at Elmar Window Fashions. There he directed the start-up
and installation of the Hunter Douglas shutter program.
WINDOW FASHIONS, INC. PROMOTES MARSH
Window Fashions, Inc., Cheswick, PA, announces the appointment of
Jamie Marsh to Inside Sales Manager. She will be responsible for
coordinating between inside and outside sales.
Marsh has been with Window Fashions for more than 10 years and has
gained much experience and knowledge in dealer support and merchandising.
WINDOW COVERINGS UNIVERSITY ADD THREE
STAFF MEMBERS
The Window Coverings University, founded by Steve Bursten and Steve
Wishnow, of custEmers.com and Exciting Windows! has added three
staff members. They are: Margarett DeGange, National Director of
Training; Neil Gordon, National Director of Design; and Judy Wilfong,
the newest member of its teaching staff.
DeGange’s responsibilities include developing course content,
guiding and supervising instructors and building the Window Coverings
University as the leading educational facility for business owners
in the industry. She is a communications specialist experienced
in developing professional sales and consulting skills in the window
fashions industry. As a home fashions designer, writer and speaker,
she has been involved in many industry organizations and currently
serves on the board of directors of the Window Coverings Association
of America (WCAA). She has been in the window coverings and design
industry for almost 20 years.
Gordon’s duties include introducing new window treatment ideas
to the membership and representing Exciting Windows! design aspects
to trade and consumer media. He also serves as an instructor for
the Window Coverings University. With vast experience with Decorating
with Fabric (which Gordon named his business), he began work in
the industry early cutting his first roller shade at the age of
10. As a third-generation retailer he learned from his parents and
grandparents the subtleties of running a business. He started his
first business in Boca Raton, FL, as a custom drapery workroom to
the trade and built a successful window treatment company.
Wilfong serves as an instructor for Window Coverings University
specializing in business and sales issues and also serves as a manager
for members of the Exciting Windows! National Network. She has been
in the window coverings industry for 25 years and is experienced
in every facet of running a successful business. Founding her company,
Windows & Walls, Winchester, VA, in 1984, Wilfong continues
as a locally owned and operated business with a customer oriented
focus. |
